Pair to vie in DPP’s Taichung primary

By Chris Wang / Staff reporter

Wed, Nov 06, 2013 - Page 3

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) yesterday announced he would seek the party’s candidacy for the Greater Taichung mayoral election next year.

Backed by several fellow DPP lawmakers, Tsai said told a press conference in the city that he was confident he could defeat Greater Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), who has held the job for 13 years.

The 44-year-old Taichung native joins DPP Legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in the party’s primary for the mayoral race. His announcement came in the wake of former DPP secretary-general Su Jia-chyuan’s (蘇嘉全) decision last week not to enter the primary.

Tsai had said that if Su, who lost the 2010 election to Hu by 3 percent of the total votes, intended to run, he would not enter the race.

He and Lin have agreed that the candidate will be chosen by two separate public opinion polls on Dec. 30 that will compare each of them against Hu, instead of against each other. DPP headquarters is scheduled to announce the result the following day.

Highlighting his close connection with the city, especially the coastal area where he grew up, Tsai said his knowledge and experience working with local communities would help make up for the relative late start to his campaign bid.

He also promised to give his full support to Lin if he loses the primary.

Two DPP candidates for next year’s seven-in-one municipal elections have already been determined — former Keelung mayor Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) will run for the Yunlin County commissioner post and Legislator Pan Men-an (潘孟安) will seek the Pingtung County commissioner job.